Portable Apologises After Walking Out of Celebrity Boxing Rematch With Charles Okocha
Controversial street-hop singer Habeeb Okikiola, widely known as Portable, has issued an apology after abruptly quitting his celebrity boxing rematch against actor Charles Okocha following the opening round.
The highly anticipated bout, organised by the Balmoral Group on Friday night, ended unexpectedly when Portable declined to continue after the first round, leaving many spectators disappointed.
Management Issues Formal Apology
In a statement released on Saturday by his management team, Zeh Nation/Dr Zeh, Portable expressed regret to the organisers, event officials, supporters, friends, family and everyone who attended the match.
“We sincerely apologise to the organisers, Balmoral Group, the entire event team, our fans, friends, family, and everyone who came out to support Portable at tonight’s celebrity boxing event,” the statement read.
The management acknowledged the disappointment caused by his decision to step away and appealed to the public to respect his position.
“We understand the disappointment caused by the outcome of the fight and by Portable’s decision to step away after the first round,” it added. “While emotions can run high in moments like these, we respectfully ask everyone to respect his decision and perspective.”
The representatives did not disclose the specific reason Portable refused to continue the fight, but they accepted responsibility for the controversial ending and regretted its impact on supporters and other stakeholders.
“On behalf of Portable’s management, we take full responsibility for the disappointment this may have caused. We remain grateful for the unwavering love and support shown to him throughout this journey,” the statement noted.
The team also praised Balmoral Group and the officials involved in organising the bout.
“We appreciate Balmoral Group and everyone involved for putting together a great event, and we sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused,” it said.
Management confirmed that feedback from the incident has been recorded and promised that Portable will learn from the experience and return stronger.
“We have taken note of the feedback, and we are committed to learning from this experience. We promise to come back stronger and do better next time,” the statement concluded.
Background to the Rematch
Friday’s fight was a rematch of the pair’s first celebrity boxing encounter in December 2023, which Portable won. Okocha invoked the rematch clause after that loss and entered the latest contest seeking revenge.
Both entertainers had exchanged verbal attacks on social media ahead of the bout, heightening expectations that their rivalry would be settled inside the ring. Portable also entered the match hoping to rebound from his first celebrity boxing defeat earlier in 2026 to content creator Carter Efe.
However, the rematch ended in an anti‑climax after Portable refused to continue beyond the opening round, leaving fans and organisers searching for answers.
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